Her we are, 2 weeks into the new year and 2 weeks into photography project for this year: PROJECT 2015. So far it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride and I’m learning as I go. Here a few lessons I have learned so far on my photographic journey through this new year.

#1 Don’t Forget the Camera! I know how simple this sounds, but it seriously my #1 speed bump so far. Sometimes it’s as simple as leaving it in another room or downstairs. Then there are the days like 2 weeks ago when we went to mall for a change of scenery an of coarse I left my camera at home. I really wanted to kick myself! Especially when Anora tried Japanese food for the first time and LOVED it. Ahhh! I swear I need to keep a point and shoot in the stroller!

#2 Give Yourself Permission to Fail This is kind of a big deal for me. No one likes to fail, but for someone (like me) with anxiety issues, even little failures feel like a HUGE deal! Two days ago I forgot to take any pictures all day. Gasp! I know! It seems like such a little thing, but in head I was failing everyone. I was failing myself because I was only 11 days in and already forgot to pick up the sticking camera. I was failing Anora because I hadn’t documented THAT day, even though we all just laid around…again. I was failing my friends and family because I know how much EVERYONE LOOOOVES to see their Wild hair picture pop up on their news feed (okay, so maybe it’s just my mom).

In the end, I had to put into perspective and all it took was one post. It was a dear friend of mine, who posted that she had lost her brother that day. What did it matter that I hadn’t taken one picture? Would it have changed the world or saved a life or stopped an earthquake? No. Even if I miss a day here and there the world will keep spinning, other people’s lives will continue on (as well my own). Hey, sometimes it’s a good thing to get out from behind the camera and experience life instead of documenting it. Hmmm…anyone else smell a future post here?

#3 Set Realistic Goals Okay, so this goes hand in hand with #2. When I started this project, I said I was going to take 5-6 EVERYDAY, so I would have 2,015 images at the end of the year. Here we see how ambition has given way to realism! 5-6 images doesn’t sound like much, but that’s a LOT of work. And it means I can almost never not have my camera on me. So my artsy side and my realistic side had a little meeting and decided that 1 image a day (you know, like MOST people do) is a perfectly fantastic goal! Not to say that I won’t throw in a few extras here and there 😉

#4 Check Your Setting Again, this seems like a total “Duh!” moment, but we all do it. We see our little one doing something cute and we grab the camera and start clicking. Then, when we look at the pictures they are totally dark, or worse- completely blown out! There is no saving them and we have missed the moment. It’s enough to make you want to scream and through a temper-tantrum. I goal is to make it a habit to check your setting before you ever click the shutter and to make it a point to check your images every few clicks to be sure they look how you want them to.

#5 Don’t Forget the Little things This project is all about capturing life as it is. While the big picture is nice to see, sometimes it’s the little details that tell the biggest story. It’s kind of like an impressionist painting; when you see the big picture you can see how pretty it is, but it isn’t until you step closer and see all the little dots that you realize how much love, talent and attention went into the masterpiece.

#6 Make Time to Edit and Post Probably my second biggest challenge so far. Finding time to sit and sift through my images while trying to keep up with a 1 year old (still feels funny saying that!), house work and not over stressing. This is where my Photographer’s Planner from Colorvale has been a lifesaver! It has been crucial in helping me set up a schedule for my family and my business, but more on that later. As of right now, I try to edit every 2-3 days after Anora goes to bed. This gives me time to concentrate without worrying about my toddler eating leftover fruit off the floor…or toilet paper…or the dog’s milk bone. And as a bonus, Nick gets time to play video games without me skwaking at him. Win win!